Samet Beaches

One of the great things about staying on a island such as Koh Samet, is that it’s small enough to explore in a day. Determined to explore as much as we could of the island, we rented scooters for a day of exploring.
 

 
S got his game-face on.
 

 
And with that we were ready to beach hop.
First up was Praw Bay.
 
  
 
White sands stretch across, disturbed only by the greens of the forest and the sound of the sea. With only a handful of people scattered along the beach it’s definitely one of the quietest beaches Koh Samet has to offer, and with a car park halfway up the hill, for tourists to park their scooters and quads, the silence is there to stay. Choppy waters combined with rocks beneath the surface mean this isn’t the best place for swimming, however if you want to frolic in the surf and catch some rays, it’s perfect.
 
Next up was Hat Sai Kaew.
 
  
 
Bars, restaurants and shops stretch across white sands whilst Jet ski’s, boats and inflatables bob along the waters edge. With plenty to eat, see and do, this is by far the busiest beach. The waters are shallow, clear and being rock-free makes it the perfect place to pop in for a swim.
 
 
 
After filling up on a lovely sea-front lunch, we set off for Pakarang Bay.
Except this side of Samet has pretty terrible roads, and by roads I mean lumpy mud tracks.
If you’ve ever seen a motocross track, it’s kind of like that. Except that in motocross you go over the jumps on purpose, and in Koh Samet the jumps are kiiiiiind of unexpected.
S and I had hired a moped (scooter) and with S having motocross in his veins, he was in his element, he slapped on his race face and tackled the hills with ease. However as a passenger of a bike with no suspension, it wasn’t comfortable, and in the end I walked up most of the hills.
If you’re going exploring for the day and prefer your vehicles to have a bit more in the way of comfort, go for something with better suspension, like a dirt bike or a quad.
 
  
 
Pakarang Bay has white sands but is also very stony.
Perfect if you like skimming, but not so much for walking on, so flip-flops are advised! It was by far the quietest of all the beaches we visited, with it’s serenity only disturbed by the gentle sound of waves over lapping.
 
 
 
There are a few rocks scattered in the water, but they mainly run along one edge of the beach, just be careful if you pop in for a swim!
 

 
But if I had to pick the best beach in Koh Samet, I would pick Vongdeun.
Whilst it has attractions dotted along the beach front, they do not disturb the tranquil environment too much, and with warm waters and no rocks, it has the perfect combination of entertainment and relaxation.
 
Have you ever been to Koh Samet?
If so drop me a comment – I’d love to hear what you though of this darling little island!